Winter Citrus with Blood Orange and Fennel (Printable)

Vibrant citrus salad with blood oranges, fennel, and bright vinaigrette. A refreshing winter side that's vegetarian and naturally dairy-free.

# What You'll Need:

→ Citrus

01 - 3 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
02 - 2 navel oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
03 - 1 grapefruit, peeled and segmented

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced with fronds reserved for garnish
05 - 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

→ Herbs & Garnish

06 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, torn
07 - 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, optional

→ Vinaigrette

08 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
10 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
11 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
02 - Arrange the blood orange, navel orange, and grapefruit slices on a large serving platter in slightly overlapping rows.
03 - Scatter the fennel and red onion slices evenly over the citrus foundation.
04 - Drizzle the prepared vinaigrette evenly across the entire salad.
05 - Top with torn mint leaves, reserved fennel fronds, and pomegranate seeds if using.
06 - Serve immediately, or chill for up to 30 minutes before serving for enhanced flavor development.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The colors alone will brighten your kitchen table when everything outside looks dreary and monochrome.
  • You can assemble it in minutes but somehow it still feels fancy enough to serve to friends who drop by unexpectedly.
02 -
  • Slice your onions paper-thin or soak them in ice water for 10 minutes to tame their sharpness.
  • Supreming citrus over a bowl catches all the precious juice that you can add to the vinaigrette for extra flavor.
03 -
  • Use a mandoline set on the thinnest setting for perfectly consistent fennel and onion slices that maintain their delicate crunch.
  • Salt this salad just before serving to keep the vegetables crisp and prevent the citrus from releasing too much juice.

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